


As through a Glass, with Joy

by Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Canon - Book, F/M, Fifteen Minute Fic, Gen, Post - Voyage of the Dawn Treader, if you are looking for Liliandil or any other VDT film canon this is not your fic, just FYI
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-19 13:06:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2389340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/pseuds/Elizabeth%20Culmer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the <em>Dawn Treader</em> turned and began rowing west, Caspian thought he would never recover from the piercing sweetness of the uttermost East.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As through a Glass, with Joy

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet was inspired by the 9/14/14 word #203 on [15_minute_ficlets](http://15_minute_ficlets.dreamwidth.org).

When the _Dawn Treader_ turned and began rowing west, Caspian thought he would never recover from the piercing sweetness of the uttermost East. He would go home to Narnia and rule as wisely and well as he could: would defend her borders, judge her quarrels, bind her many fractious peoples together into a new and stronger whole. But he would never again be whole himself, for he had seen the stars that shone beyond the walls of the world in Aslan's Country, seen the shining wave tumbling for ever into the unknown. And who could return to normal life from that?

But as they rowed west, back through the carpet of lilies to the open sea, the light and the memory of light began to fade. Soon the water grew salt once more, and his limbs remembered tiredness, and he could no longer stare into the heart of the sun. In his mind and heart, the green hills and winding rivers of Narnia took shape once more, unhidden by the glare of eternity.

Caspian had thought returning to life would be a struggle, would be a weary war he would fight for all his remaining days. But to his surprise, life was sweet.

"It is ever so, with those who draw close to the other world," said the Lady Tarazeth when the ship returned to her father's island. "We are made of flesh and bone as well as spirit, and the call of this world to the body is strong. And it is meet and fitting that it should be so, for life is a joyous gift, one which would be great folly to cast aside as dust and ashes."

"As you say, my lady," Caspian said as they walked together along the heathery shore. "Now that the enchantments are broken, I would dare to ask if you might share that gift with me, in the country I call home."

The Lady Tarazeth placed her hand in his, and smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> That was not remotely what I expected to write for that word, nor was it an area of canon I ever thought I'd deal with, but hey, I'll take it. *wry* I picked this name for Ramandu's daughter years ago, when I had a notion to write a story in which the Lady of the Green Kirtle conspired with Queen Prunaprismia to conquer Narnia while Caspian was away on his voyage, but I never had any reason to use it until now.


End file.
